Rare war cap

Description:

Indonesia, East, Maluku, Ambon or Seram, possibly East Sulawesi, perhaps Alfuren culture, 19th ct.
H. 20 cm
Round war helmet, woven from rattan and padded with palm fibres (areca) laid crosswise and cemented together, the surface covered with skin (?) and painted black. Indicated helmet crest with seam, possibly in imitation of European helmets that arrived in eastern Indonesia in the 17th century and established their own styles. The helmet has a more pronounced beaded rim. Similar cap-like helmets are known from the Toraja, but these are usually reinforced with scales.
From an important Süd German private collection, acquired from 1975
Helmets of this type were common in large parts of eastern Indonesia üb and offered good protection against sword blows and weak arrows due to the dampening effect of the fibres; they are naturally ineffective against firearms. Shields and helmets were usually the only form of body protection.
Traditional warfare in Südost Asia äwas similar to that of pre-Römish tribal societies in Europe. Fights were often fought as ritualised "champion"one-on-one battles or proxy duels to conserve resources and lives. Well-paid, experienced fighters, who were held out by the villages, were often entrusted with settling conflicts through public duels. These did not necessarily have to end fatally. In the case of raids with the taking of heads, on the other hand, which sometimes took on large proportions in the Moluccas, outright warfare was common. Helmets or "war hats" were often decorated with a special emblem for successful warriors, which made their merits recognisable - Damages and repairs due to age, core partially frayed